Wines & spirits: Two fine reds are also very affordable

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Things got a little tight last Saturday and some wines in the Vintages release that I really wanted to share with you fell on the composing room floor (well, newspapers don’t actually have composing rooms any more, but I digress). So this is a good opportunity to catch up with those bottles, because they represent excellent value and, after all, the holidays are not that far off.

Let’s start with two fine, and very affordable, reds.

Maritavora 2008 Douro Red ($15.95, code 293449). Table reds from Portugal’s upper Douro valley are making great strides both in quality and export demand. These are made in the same area and from the same grapes as the famous Port wines, but they are not sweet and are not fortified with brandy. They’re just good wines.

Fermentation was divided between modern steel tanks and traditional stone lagares, then part of the wine was barrel aged for depth. The result is a full-bodied, fruity yet rather smoky wine offering loads of blackberry and black licorice flavours, with a hint of fresh herbs and cracked pepper.

Gladiator 2010 Primitivo di Manduria ($16.95, code 23119). Want to arm wrestle? Here’s a very muscular, big-bodied varietal from near Taranto, on Italy’s heel. Many experts believe Primitivo is the ancestor grape of the more familiar Zinfandel. The smell of this one is quite enticing, very floral with a perfumed feel to it. In the mouth the fruit is round and full, coming across as plums, black cherries, dried blueberries and mulberries. Give the wine a good two hours to breathe before you serve it.

Casa Lapostolle 2011 Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay ($24.95, code 947937). This Chilean winery is owned by the same family that makes Grand Marnier liqueur in France. Its table wines are very good.

The fruit is bright and sweet, quite vibrant, with the balance and juicy acidity found in wines from Casablanca. Citrus and mango flavours abound, with a nice not-too-tart lime finish.

Bouchard Pere & Fils 2010 Cote de Beaune-Villages ($24.95, code 714998). The producer is one of the leaders in Burgundy, offering good wines for good prices. This is bright Pinot Noir, coming across as sweet cherries with a touch of the earthiness expected from Beaune. The tannin is ripe and fairly tamed, suggesting a wine to drink in the next couple of years.

Last but not least, there are two wines from one of my favourite producers in the Rhone valley, Famille Perrin. Coudoulet is a small vineyard adjacent to the main property of the famous (and expensive) Chateau de Beaucastel, making wines that are often called baby Beaucastels.

Chateau de Beaucastel 2011 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc ($33.95, code 48892). Perrin does not make a lot of white wine, hence the slightly higher price than the red. This is a blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Bourboulenc that is a pale gold colour and smells of honeyed peaches. Peach notes continue in the mouth and the wine is vibrant and full bodied. This will gracefully age for two or three years.

Chateau de Beaucastel 2010 Coudoulet de Beaucastel ($29.95, code 48884). Perrin is known for the high proportion of Mourvèdre grapes in their wines. That accounts for some 30 per cent here, the rest being primarily Grenache and Syrah. There’s a lot of complexity here, with flavours of red fruits such as cherries, plums and wild strawberries, with a spicy herbaceous background and a definite impression of thyme. Think about putting this one aside for a special occasion a decade from now.

Many of the most successful importing agents in Ontario have taken it. Sommeliers have taken it. Even some senior LCBO staff have taken it.

On Nov. 10, wine industry veteran Steven Trenholme is reprising his course, Importing Wine For Pleasure And Profit. It’s a daylong seminar held at The Old Mill Inn & Spa in Toronto, and covers a lot of ground such as how to start your own agency, how to identify and negotiate with suppliers, marketing, pricing, dealing with the LCBO, how to work with LCBO consultants, how to interact with media and much more.

The course costs $295, which includes HST, all course material, lunch and 30 days of post-seminar online support.